This post is a complete diary entry... enjoy!
I wish to begin this chapter of my story by explaining that sometimes in life you just have to go with your gut. Follow what you feel is right and wonderful and yes, everything should be ok <3
Back in March I met two guys in a bar in Shoreditch whilst at my friends birthday party. I was tipsy and my friends and I all roped them in to dancing with the four of us. Nothing creepy... just young people being young and socialising etc. I decided to keep in contct for watever reason; I guess mysekf and the guys just got along well. They seemed like humble, friendly guys and they were also our age... so why not exchange instagrams?
Both their names were Youness ans I ended up chatting lots with one of the Youness's. His family is from Morrocco but he grew up in Verona, northern Italy.
One day I messaged him asking if I were to visit Verona would he be have the time to show me around his city with his friends, just for a day or so. Youness replied, 'of course!' Within a day he had messaged me again explaining that he had told his parents I was thinking of coming to visit the city and they had said they would be happy to host me for 'as long as I would like!' I of course thought how kinid and generous this family was, inviting me- a complete stranger into their home, I had to reply that, 'I would love to!'
Within a week I had booked my flights to bella Verona with Ryanair for £50.00 return in late June, ready to visit Youness and his bella famillia!
I was nervous on arrival, but I had come to know Youness' personality fairly well, although I guess you never really know what someone is like till you live with them haha! He came to get me from yhe airport (how kind) with the other Youness and his two sisters (Sofia was 6 and a TOTAL CUTIE <3).
As I didn't have lots and lots of time we decided to go out and get some food and then head into the city centre. I waved ciao in 35 degree celcius heat, ( I had also got changed as oh my gosh it was boiling hot) and we left for the city.
At the shopping centre where we were getting some food, Youness and I sat whilst waiting for the other Youness. My Italiano was bad and his English was good (but he was shy to speak) and we were both still getting used to each others company so we filled the silence with a strange song about a pineapple pen.
Looking back I had no idea what he was singing but turns out everyone in London knews this song as it has millions of views on YouTube haha! I must live under a rock!
Once Youness arrived we got some fast food, chatted, attempted to charge my camera battery and then headed to the bus stop where we realsied we still had 30 minutes till the bus. Trying to decide what to do, we met a Congolese Italian guy that had family in England and could therefore speak English well. He was funny and we all chatted away. While I nipped to the toilet, he decided to show off and play a song on the piano in the shopping centre. Bene, bene! Hahaha.
We got the bus and soon were half way to the city centre of Verona. At Verona's trainstation we met another guy Ismail, Youness and Youness' other friend who was to join us on our trip. He was also sooooo funny omg and none of us ended up paying for the bus- once again reminding me a little of home and my usual antics.
Once in the beautiful Centro of Verona finally the real touristy fun began. I remember feeling as though I had just stepped into a story book... Romeo and Juliet for that matter! Haha! It was truly incredible and also very very italian... whatever that means. I was with three 'strangers' wandering the street of northern Itlay questioning what I had done in life to be so lucky to have brought me into Youness' world. To be honest, I hadn't experienced it yet... his familia are what really stood out for me this whole trip.
We began at the Arena where, like many italian cities there was an old style round theatre like building made frim old brick work. It looked exactly like what you would see in a film about the Roam Empire. Beautiful of course! We didn't go indife becuase there was a lot to see and you probably had to pay quite a lot. I was on a budget and didn't expect the guys to want to pay to enter all these places either. Now knowing Youness better, I know if I had mentioned it, he would have gone in with me and probably offered to pay also!
We continued wandering through the pretty italian streets, stopping regualarly for photos (of course) and looking inside shops until we came to the place that gives Verona its name, 'The City of Love'. Juliet's balcony from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. You begin by walking through a tunnel like structure that is covered with Love Letters to Juliet (just like in the movie 'Letters to Juliet'). It was very busy with other tourists but it didn't take away from the magic. I had to write something about love and stick it up on the wall so I turned to my one true love; 'Fall in love with travel, the world and nature' as you can't go wrong and this is of course so true.
Once taking pictures got boring (a lucky one with Juliet's breast of course) we proceeded to one of the larger plaza like areas where there was a market going on. I bought a necklace and a bracelet for myself and got some tasty Gelato mmmmmm. We began journeying over the bridge and up this huge hill. Baring in mind it was literally almost 40 degrees celcius we were all sweating like crazy.
Thank goodness I had changed when I arrived as the heat was practically unbearable and I had been wearing a long black cotton jumpsuit. There were fountains with drinking water dotted all over Verona and so once at the top of the hill we all splashed ourselves and had something to drink. I soaked my head as my thick hair often made me feel 10x hotter.
My first experience of Italy so far was one that even now I am struggling to pt into words, purely due to the people I was surrounded by, the weather and the beauty everywhere you looked.
After seeing all the sights we slowly made our way back to the train station ready to eat some lasagne. I was so hungry as was everyone else. Later Youness had planned to take me to the 'Luna Park' which I had imagined to be some fesitval of some kind but turned out to be a popular fun fair for the locals. We made our way and was picked up by Kawta and Sofia Youness' older and younger sisters from the train station.
Willow
